13 things that you can do when you're feeling powerless over the world

Brian Ramaker was a guest speaker at a Transition Support Group I facilitate at St. Barnabas Church here in Chicago’s Western suburbs. Brian is a financial planner for Edward Jones and came to offer some insight to our folks in transition as well as some encouragement. Beyond that Brian shared a little of his faith walk with God. It was powerful as it was genuine and simple. He also shared an article he had read in MSN Money, A survival guide for the unemployed, by Liz Pulliam Weston.  Here are some of the highlights of the article:

1. Get your head on straight. Keeping your spirits up
2. Schedule your job search. Get up early, take a shower, put on nice clothes and schedule what you'll do for the day
3. Let people know how to find you. Your business and professional contacts may have only your work e-mail address and telephone number
4. Stay covered. With health insurance
5. Apply for unemployment benefits.
6. Track your spending. You no longer have the luxury of not knowing where your money is going
7. Get your priorities straight. List your bills and other spending in order of importance
8. Conserve your cash. When you've lost your job cash becomes king
9. Don't tap your retirement funds if you can avoid it.
10. Use your home equity with caution.
11. Raise cash. Organize a garage sale or sell items on Craigslist or eBay
12. Identify emergency sources of aid.
13. Consider volunteering. It’s not a waste of time doing unpaid work? It gets you out there doing something positive

If you're in job transition, read the whole article, it's important. Again, I want to thank Brian for his wisdom and kindness. He spent 90 minutes with my group and gave away a priceless gift... himself.  Have a great week and do something nice for the world, little or big it doesn’t matter.